The Aftermath
by Belle Literature
Summary: In the aftermath of the fall of the First Order and Emperor Palpatine, Rey struggles with the loss of Ben Solo. Unable to confide to her friends about their relationship and force bond. She ventures across the galaxy hoping to distract her broken heart with work when she once again stumbles into Ben's mind. How can this be, he is dead.


**Author Note:**

**My in-denial ass refuses to accept the fact that Ben Solo died. This isn't a fix-it fic but it's my adaptation of what can happen to Ben based on the Star Wars legends and what's Canon. I hope you enjoy. Remember ladies and gentlemen 'No one is ever really gone.'**

* * *

The twin suns beamed down on Rey as she prowled the sandy streets of Mos Eisley. No one seemed to notice the young woman as she passed, more concerned with putting food on their family's plates. The Rebel Alliance had worked vigorously to liberate as many star systems as possible from the last suffocating hold of the First Order. Her mission was to liberate the slaves and scavengers so she had spent many months in the outer rim.

There had been many slaves here and it was increasingly difficult to eradicate it as a whole. In these last several months, the Alliance's sparks of hope had finally turned to flame, and it was washing over the galaxy like a massive tidal wave. Hope had spread forcing the First Order supporters into hiding. They had spread hope across the stars that those who struggled could leave their pasts behind and look to the future of a new peaceful and prosperous future. Unfortunately for Rey, she couldn't do that.

Every time she thought of him her heart would ache and then shatter into millions of pieces. He had given his life for hers, a sacrifice she hadn't realised he made until he smiled at her after they shared their first kiss; her first kiss. Pure joy shone in his beautiful brown eyes and she couldn't help her grin. Then came crashing down when he fell back lifeless and cold. She shuddered at the memory that had been haunting her ever since. She blinked back her tears, knowing what she had to do now to let go of the past.

The suns began to set yet the city streets remained alive as the nightlife stalked into the streets, the most dangerous time in Tatooine. She made her way to her speeder before zooming into the sunset desert. She had one more thing to do before leaving this wasteland.

* * *

The small sandstone igloo stood out like a beacon against the course red dunes. Pulling a chunk of sheet metal out of the sand she slid her way down the dune and into the abandoned house of Skywalker. What she had heard from the locals was that the Lars family had lived there for generations and had married into the Skywalker family before the Empire. They mentioned that a little blonde boy named Skywalker used to live there with his aunt and uncle and had left Tatooine to become a starfighter pilot. She smiled at that detail as she explored the abandoned home. Droid parts, utensils and toy fighters were scattered across the sand. She glanced down at a small toy tie fighter half berried in and decided to put it in her pocket.

Memories were scattered everywhere from a simple teapot to a small photo of Luke tucked away in a cupboard. Little memorise that whispered secrets as she explored. What if Ben visited here? The weight of that question hung heavy in her heart as there was no sign of him buried in time. Is there any evidence that Ben ever existed? She had already searched the Falcon from top to bottom, practically tearing apart the ship of any remanence of him but to no avail? Perhaps she did indeed have to move on from the past; move on from Han, Luke Leia and Ben.

Tears streamed down her face as she pulled out the two lightsabers from her satchel, folding the two in a cloth and burying it in the sand. She strangely felt at peace. Closing her eyes, she let the force flow through her, pushing the Skywalker's weapons further into the ground. Maybe one day, somehow, a new Skywalker will venture here and discover their ancestor's weapons. Rey stood from her spot igniting her lightsaber. The low hum of the yellow saber shone in the dying light symbolising a new balance. She let that balance flow through her; a balance with herself and balance in the force. She had constructed it months ago with her staff and a kyber crystal that she found in mines of the ice planet Ilum.

She took one last look at the house before turning to leave only to find an old gypsy hobbling over a cane and staring at Rey with confusion and fear.  
"Who are you?" She croaked, scanning her face and then the weapon that shone in her hand, "No one has been here for so long, so who are you?"  
Rey stared at the woman wondering who she was and whether she knew the people who lived here. "I'm Rey." She finally answered, smiling at her wrinkled face.  
"Rey." She said as if testing the name on her tongue, "Rey who?"  
Rey turned away not sure if she should answer that question. Then she saw them; across the dunes, Leia and Luke stood smiling and at peace. They looked happy and that reassured her. She turned back to the woman before finally answering, "Rey Skywalker."  
The woman smiled and nodded in recognition and began to turn back to the little hut nearby, she was the guardian of this place. Rey remained there staring at the twin red giants as the light winked out above the horizon. Let go of the past, embrace the future.

* * *

His limbs screamed in pain as he lifted himself from the pit that Palpatine threw him into. He had to get to Rey; needed to, that's all he had to do; he had to get to her. Ben's hands were bloody as he finally pulled himself up and there she was, still unconscious. His shattered leg seethed with pain as he stumbled towards her. Ben decided that crawling would be easier, finally grabbing her and pulling her into his lap. Ben bite back a sob as he held her lifeless body. Rey's expression was calm, and her eyes were glazed with grey as they stared up into the sky. To the Jedi, he realised what she did.

Tears streamed down Ben's face and he pulled her close resting his face into the crook of her neck. She smelt sweet, a mixture of sun and citrus. She died for the galaxy, she died for her friends, she died for hope. His heart shattered as he finally brought himself to look at her again. Ben didn't feel anger or hatred like he thought he might have. He just felt empty like his soul had been ripped out of him. She was his and he was hers and now Rey was gone.

Determination suddenly flooded him as he remembered how she had healed his wound on the Death Star wreck. He was dying and Rey had saved him with the sheer will of the force. So that's exactly what he would do; he knew the costs and he was more than willing to accept them; anything for her because she was everything to him. Ben propped her ragdoll body up further into his lap and rested his hand on her lower abdomen. He closed his eyes and centred his power on her, there was no light or dark just balance. He could feel his life force depleting, but he didn't feel scared, angry or empty; he felt at peace which was strange because he had never felt that before. He hadn't felt happiness in a long time, and he relished in it, using it to pull her life back.

Ben stopped at the sudden subtle touch on his hand, finally opened his eyes Rey was laying there and alive staring at him with a quiet confusion. She quickly sat up, a blush spreading along the bridge of her freckled nose and cheeks at the proximity of them both. Ben knew he didn't have much time left but he held onto her and stared into the gorgeous chocolate brown eyes in front of him. He was speechless and at awe of what he did, what he did for her and what she did for him.

Rey grinned and her eyes sparkled, "Ben."

His only response was a sigh of relief when she brought her hand to cup his face. Rey's expression changed to a nervous frown and Ben's breath hitched. When suddenly she kissed him, he never expected this. It was slow and light but he had never felt so happy, she had never felt so happy.

When they broke apart Ben's heart was full and he simply stared at her, a mixture of surprise and joy stark on his face. He grinned at her, needing to show how happy she made him and Rey returned it with full force. But it was short-lived.

Ben fell back, lifeless and cold and Rey just stared at him confused and shock but then she realised what he had done. A sob left her mouth as tears spilled down her cheeks; he was gone. Rey clutched his hand as she looked at his face, peaceful and pure. Her fingers traced the scar that she had left him with on Star Killer Base. She went to grab his shoulders to pull him closer but he disappeared. Nothing was left of him but his clothes, she cried out her soul empty, "Ben! Oh, Ben!" Tears landed on his shirt as she just stared blankly at where he laid, "Oh Ben please, please come back."

Rey shot out of bed, cold sweat running down her back. The horrors subsided a little when she finally realised where she was. Rey brought her legs to her chest and rested her head against them. She had to be strong; strong for the alliance, strong for herself. But she couldn't, not anymore. She hated that she missed him, she hated that she loved him, she hated that she had loved him for a while and had not told him. She hated that whenever she thought of his lips, his eyes, his body, her hands would venture down into her pants.

* * *

Rey reached back into the force, in an attempt to calm herself. She reached further and further through the misty folds, levitating herself of her bed and into the air.  
"Be with me." She breathed, pulling further and further into the folds of the force, "Be with me." A familiar haze fell over her like a comforting blanket, "Ben." She breathed, opening her eyes and she was suddenly not on the Falcon but on another ship and there he was. He was facing away from her aware of her presence. He wore no shirt and a simple pair of black night shorts. Ben stared at her for a long moment eyes wide with despair, before pushing her out of his mind like she had done many times. Rey fell back onto her bed and simply could not seem to believe it, she saw him. She saw Ben and he was alive.


End file.
